The 6th Army Group under General Jacob Devers fought from the beaches of Southern France, up the Rhone Valley, through the Vosges, cleared Alsace and the Colmar Pocket, broke through the West Wall, crossed the Rhine, overran southern Germany (including Nuernberg, Munich, and Berchtesgaden), and liberated significant portions of Austria (including Salzburg). The 6th Army Group included such illustrious commanders as LTG Alexander Patch, LTG Lucian Truscott, GEN Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, and MG Robert Frederick, and numerous 7th Army Medal of Honor recipients such as Audie L. Murphy, Charles P. Murray, Jr., Keith L. Ware, Robert Maxwell, Wilburn K. Ross, Stephen Gregg, Bernard Bell, and George Sakato.

Operation Dragoon to the Battle of the Colmar Pocket – from St. Tropez to Colmar, the US 6th Army Group and 7th Army in France

15 August 1944 to 9 February 1945

Hosted by Outpost International, Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, the Army Historical Foundation, and the Embassy of France

To honor the veterans of the Operation Dragoon and the campaigns in Southern France, the Vosges, and in Alsace, to preserve history, educate the public, and pass on the torch of their proud legacy.

Who:

Please join us in honoring the veterans of the 6th Army Group; 1st French Army; 7th Army; 6th Corps; 3rd, 36th, and 45th Infantry Divisions; 1st Allied Airborne Task Force – 517th PIRCT (including AT CO/442nd IN), 509th PIB, 4463rd PFAB, 550th AIB, 551st PIB, and the 2nd IPB (UK); and 1st SSF in Southern France; the supporting US Army Air Corps; US Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine; the OSS; and from the participant allied nations of France, Poland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Canada; the 21st Corps, 28th ID, 75th ID, and 12th AD which joined the 3rd ID and 36th ID in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, family members, friends, and anyone interested in WWII history.

Why: To honor the veterans of the 6th Army Group’s 3rd Infantry Division and its attached 106th Cavalry Group which liberated Salzburg and surroundings in early May 1945; to commemorate the liberation of Austria in the final days of WWII in Europe; and to educate those interested in the history of post-war Austria and its relationship with the United States of America since 1945.

25 August was a great disappointment for us. We attended the “liberation” ceremony in the great and historic city of Avignon. There was no American flag, and it was not planned to play the US national anthem but we were able to convince the protocol officer to include it in the ceremony. There were no speeches honoring the liberators, just the placing of six wreaths at the city’s war memorial by numerous dignitaries.

For several years we have asked the city to honor our WWII Marne Men with a plaque. The city has a plaque from the 1st French Army in the town hall which claims the 1st French Army liberated the city. Other sources claim the FFI liberated the city. Historically, the German 19th Army evacuated the city, and the FFI did take over the town hall the evening the Germans left, but the first allied unit to arrive in Avignon was from the 7th Infantry Regiment.

We were also surprised to see that at the war memorial there was no French flag displayed. There were, however, numerous flags from patriotic organizations present. From all appearances, Avignon was indifferent to the significance of the day. Even some local veterans and local citizens were disappointed with the ceremony. It is a shame the city missed the chance to commemorate appropriately such a significant anniversary.

Apryl Zarfos Anderson is an artist who moved to Provence in 2000 and she captured the commemorative events in Vauvenargues and St Marc Jaumegarde in her blog entry on Operation Dragoon +70.

Our community took a moment to recognize the enormous price paid for liberty, equality and brotherhood in honor of those who liberated southern France 70 years ago today.

Operation Dragoon launched on the beaches of Provence on 15 August, 1944, and battled its way north, arriving in Vauvenargues and St Marc Jaumegarde on the 20th.

The reenactment group “44 Memories” added considerable nostalgic color to the event. It’s encouraging to realize that Europeans of this generation will go to this extent to recognize what our grand- and great-grandparents gave to ensure our freedoms. read more….

OP International had a great day today! This morning we dedicated a commemorative plaque honoring Audie Murphy at the location of his Distinguished Service Cross action at Les Bouis in Ramatuelle. The ceremony was hosted by Mayor Roland Bruno of Ramatuelle, and the plaque was sponsored by Mr. Patrice de Colmont, proprietor of the Les Bouis estate and owner of Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach – the beach where the 15th Infantry landed at 0800 on 15 August 1944.Mayor Bruno, Mr. de Colmont, and Monika Stoy all delivered comments in honor of the occasion.

Mr. Mike Halik, 15th Infantry Regiment veteran who was wounded on 15 August 1944 was there for the ceremony, along with his daughter Debbie and son Keith. This trip is his first time back to Southern France since August 1944!

Also present was Mr. Robert Jackson, 94, a veteran of Operation Dragoon who landed at Ste Maxime with the 45th Infantry Division, along with his daughter Wendy and son in law .

The Mayor of Salzburg, Austria, Dr. Heinz Schaden, accompanied by Mrs Schaden, traveled over 1000 km to be present for the ceremony! The Marne Division started its European campaign on the coast of France, and ended it in May 1945 in Salzburg! Audie Murphy received his Medal of Honor in a ceremony held in Salzburg on 2 June 1945.

3 soldiers from the 18th Military Police Brigade in Grafenwoehr traveled to Provence to support the ceremony and provided a color guard of US colors and the Army flag – SSG Mathis, SPC Schmidt, and PFC McKinney. They did an outstanding job with the colors on a very windy day.

Mr. Marc Tastenoy and Mr. Julian Auvertin were dressed in accurate period uniforms and represented the soldiers of yesterday well, and Julian carried the Outpost flag in the ceremony.

It was a wonderful ceremony, with local French veterans present as well as representatives from patriotic organizations.

After the ceremony Tim Stoy led the group over the terrain of Audie Murphy’s DSC fight. The terrain is much more challenging than depicted in To Hell and Back! This particular battlefield is now an organic farm where Mr. de Colmont produces excellent vegetables and delicious grapes.

Before heading to Club 55 for a delicious lunch hosted by Mr. de Colmont, the group drove to La Croix-Valmer to visit the 3rd Infantry Division’s beach head monument there. This was especially meaningful to Mike Halik who had never seen it before, and to the three active duty soldiers, who were deeply impressed at the historical significance of all that was happening today.

Lunch at Club 55

We were served a wonderful meal at Club 55, the most famous club in the Mediterranean area and possibly the world. Words cannot describe the quantities and wonderful flavors of the food served, and Patrice was a wonderful host. We presented him certificates of appreciation from OP International and the 15th Infantry Regiment Association, a Can Do blazer badge, a Can Do coffee mug, and numerous other 15th Infantry and 3rd ID items. Patrice presented us with nice Club 55 gifts, but most importantly with wonderful memories and a pilgrimage site to return to with the Audie Murphy plaque!

The day was capped off by a visit to the beach where our men landed on 15 August 1944. Walking from Club 55 straight on to the beach, Mike Halik trod once again the fateful sand where he stepped on a land mine on August 1944. This time there were no mines, just curious onlookers as they watched him doggedly walk through the sand to the waters edge. There were tears in many eyes as we watched him and saw the fierce determination in his eyes.

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Commemoration CountdownJuly 30th, 2014

From St. Tropez to Colmar: Operation Dragoon to the Battle of the Colmar Pocket